Visiting Dayton

Overview

Situated in the Miami Valley region of Ohio just an hour north of Cincinnati, Dayton is a mid-sized Midwestern city with a history of innovation surrounded by a diverse metropolitan area of almost a million residents. Home to several international corporations, including NewPage Corp. and LexisNexis, as well as Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the region is known for its strengths in information technology, aerospace research and development, advanced materials engineering and health and human services.
bicyclists

Modern architecture and historical landmarks mingle in the central city, while surrounding communities offer comfortable and affordable suburban and rural lifestyles. Miami Valley leaders recently launched a Creative Region Initiative to foster a "more authentic, sustainable and prosperous region rich with talent, tolerance, technology and territorial assets" so as to attract and retain the creative workforce key to the future of any region hoping to thrive in a global economy.

Dayton, Ohio, is the happiest American city to work in, according to a Jan. 9, 2013, article in Forbes magazine. Dayton also was in the No. 1 spot on Forbes’ list of America’s Most Affordable Cities. And American Style magazine ranked the city second on the list of the Top 25 Mid-size Cities for Art.

Green Space

More than 35,000 acres of parks, nature preserves and a popular river corridor along the Great Miami River offer outstanding outdoor activities. Greater Dayton has more green space than any other metropolitan area its size. Dayton's newest park, RiverScape, features the Five Rivers Fountain of Lights, the largest river-based fountain in the world. Its design represents the five waterways that converge in the Dayton area, and it is positioned at the confluence of the Great Miami and Mad Rivers. The fountain shoots streams of water 200 feet in the air and 400 feet over the river, raining down at the center of the Great Miami. At night, lasers positioned above the water jets create a spectacular light show.

Shopping, Dining & Getting Away

The Miami Valley's largest shopping mall, the Mall at Fairfield Commons, is located near campus. The Greene — a 72-acre town center featuring pedestrian-friendly streets, open-air gathering spaces, parks, retail stores, entertainment venues, apartments and restaurants — opened in 2006. Unique restaurants and shops are part of Dayton's Oregon District, and several small college towns and charming villages surrounding the city boast gourmet restaurants, antique shops, bed and breakfasts and small town neighborliness.

Festivals & Fairs

Southwest Ohio boasts an almost endless succession of cultural and ethnic festivals, rib cook-offs and county fairs during the summer months, along with musical offerings ranging from jazz, blues and R&B, to Latin, Celtic and polka. The twice-a-year Yellow Springs Street Fair, with its music festival, ethnic food and beer garden, is a prime spot for people-watching, according to Ohio Magazine. Just down the road from Dayton, the annual Ohio Renaissance Festival in Harveysburg features 12 entertainment stages, more than 100 arts and crafts shops, period food and drink, games of skill and human-powered rides. Learn more about Ohio Festivals.

Getaway Hot Spots

Dayton's prime position near Interstate 70 and Interstate 75 makes it easy to visit the major cities of Cincinnati and Columbus. Water parks, amusement parks, train rides, zoos, outlet malls, major sporting events and other entertainment activities are within a one-hour drive of Dayton.